Roll for Connection
A therapeutically applied tabletop role playing group using fantasy TTRPGs to build real-world skills – one adventure at a time.
Limited Spots Available! Register by June 30th.
You want connection. Something keeps getting in the way.
Maybe social situations leave you exhausted and second-guessing yourself. Maybe you freeze when you need to make a quick decision, especially when others are watching. Maybe you've avoided conflict so long that you're not sure how to navigate it anymore, or you've pushed people away without quite meaning to.
This group was created for adults who are ready to do something about it.
You might be a good fit if you recognize yourself here:
Social situations feel unpredictable, and you often don't know quite how to read the room or what to say next
You freeze or shut down when you need to make decisions quickly, especially when other people are involved
You want closer relationships but aren't sure you have the tools to build or sustain them
Conflict or disagreement with others, even minor ones, leaves you anxious long afterward
You tend to either defer completely or dig in too hard, and neither approach feels right
Spots are filling fast — group begins July 4th
Therapy. Storytelling. Adventure. All in the same room.
Roll for Connection uses the fantasy tabletop roleplaying game, Shadowdark, as a therapeutic framework — a guided, clinician-facilitated space where social skills aren't just talked about. They're practiced, in real time, with real people.
Over five weeks, you'll build a character, join a small group of fellow adventurers, and navigate a story that mirrors the challenges we all face in real life: making decisions under pressure, communicating with people who see things differently, handling conflict, taking creative risks, and finding your role within a group.
Every session is led by Jason Ruehl, Counseling Intern. The game is always in service of the growth happening underneath it.
No prior experience with tabletop roleplaying games is needed or expected.
Group Details:
When:
Saturdays, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Starting July 4th
Format:
Closed cohort – 5 sessions
Group Size:
5 to 6 participants
Session Length:
2 hours
Who:
Adults 18 and older
Location:
In-person at MBW – table space and all materials provided
Limited Spots Available!
Fee:
Pay What You Can
We believe cost should never be a barrier.
Pay What You Can:
Sponsor Wellness
(I'm in a good place and want to support others)
$60 per session
Sustain Wellness
(This rate works comfortably for my budget)
$35 per session
Support Wellness
(Every dollar counts right now)
$0-$20 per session
Your Guide Through the Adventure
Jason brings both clinical training and over 30 years of experience as a Game Master. He approaches TTRPGs as a shared experience in which the players get to influence the story as much as the characters do. Through his unique narrative style Jason brings a genuine love of collaborative storytelling to this group – creating a space that is equal parts therapeutic and genuinely fun.
Five Weeks. One Story. Real Growth.
Each cohort follows a complete narrative arc — a beginning, middle, and end. The story is the structure, but the work happening underneath it is yours.
Week 1: Creating Characters & Learning the System You'll build your character, answer guided questions about who they are and what drives them, and get oriented in the world of the game. This is where your story begins.
Week 2: The Introductory Adventure The group enters the world together for the first time. Early collaboration, first decisions, and the beginning of relationships – both in the game and in the room.
Week 3: Rising Action Stakes increase. Characters face more complex choices, and the group begins to find (or find friction with) its rhythm and roles.
Week 4: Major Conflict The heart of the arc. This is where the most meaningful decisions happen – and often where the richest therapeutic work lives.
Week 5: Resolution The story concludes, and the group reflects. What happened in the game? What shifted in you? What do you carry back into your actual life?
How Each Session Is Structured
Each Saturday from 1:00 to 3:00 PM follows the same general flow:
Check-in (10–20 minutes) How is everyone arriving? What are you bringing into the room today?
Gameplay (40–50 minutes) Into the world. Decisions get made, the story moves, and the group works together.
Break (15 minutes)
Continued Play (45 minutes) Deeper into the arc. Stakes build. Characters grow.
Where the Character Ends and You Begin
One of the most powerful parts of Roll for Connection is the weekly journaling practice. Each week, participants receive a reflective prompt that bridges what happened in the game with what's true in their own life.
Writing is private unless you choose to share it. All you need is your own notebook.
Sample prompts:
"What is something that you and your character have in common?"
"What is your character most afraid of – and how does that show up for you?"
"You made a decision this session. How did it feel? Would you choose the same thing again?"
What You Can Expect to Take With You
By the end of five sessions, most participants notice real, tangible shifts, not just in how they play the game, but in how they move through their daily relationships.
Stronger interpersonal skills. Practice listening, communicating, and relating in a lower-stakes environment that builds real capacity you can use outside the room.
Better in-the-moment decision making. Make choices, see what happens, and learn from the outcomes — a skill that transfers directly to everyday life.
Deeper self-awareness. Journaling and facilitated reflection help you notice patterns in yourself that are hard to see from the inside.
Creative collaboration. Build the ability to work with others toward a shared goal, including through disagreements, compromises, and unexpected turns.
The Right Fit Matters: For You and For the Group
This is a collaborative, creative, and therapeutic space. It works best when everyone in the room is ready and willing to show up for it.
This group is a great fit if you are:
18 or older
Wanting to build or strengthen real-world interpersonal skills
Working through social anxiety, interpersonal discomfort, or difficulty in relationships
Open to learning how to make decisions and take appropriate risks collaboratively
Curious, imaginative, and willing to engage in creative play – even if you've never played D&D or another fantasy TTRPGs before
This group may not be the right fit if you:
Are under 18 years old
Are unwilling to collaborate or share the experience with others
Tend toward antagonistic behavior in group settings
Hold or express views that are discriminatory toward others' identity, sexuality, or background
Have no interest in imaginative or fantasy-based play
Before the Adventure Begins
Because Roll for Connection is a small, closed cohort, we take time upfront to make sure it's the right fit — for you, and for the group.
The Intake Session: Joining this group begins with a one-hour individual intake session with Jason. This session is billed as a full session at a full intern fee of $75 and gives us the chance to get to know you, answer your questions, and confirm that the group is a good match for where you are right now.
*We are using the pay-what-you-can model, meaning no one will be turned away due to financial hardship.
Pay What You Can: Group sessions operate on a Pay What You Can model, because we believe cost shouldn't be a barrier to this kind of care. During your intake, you and Jason will have a conversation about what a sustainable contribution looks like for you. Whatever you bring is welcome here.
What to Bring: All materials are provided including printed character sheets, rules materials, pencils, and dice, although if you have your own dice, feel free to bring them. Please bring your own notebook for journaling assignments.
Your Character Is Waiting to Be Written
Ready to find out if this group is right for you? Reach out to our Client Care Coordinator – they'll gather some information, answer your initial questions, and if it's a good fit, get you scheduled for your intake session with Jason.
Spots are filling fast — group begins July 4th
Roll for Connection is a therapeutic group facilitated by a counseling intern at Mind Body Wellness with a licensed therapist present. It is not a substitute for individual therapy. No prior experience with fantasy TTRPGs is required.
